WEST AUCKLAND 1-1 WHITLEY BAY
Wednesday 16 April, 7:30PM, League
West Auckland twice had the ball in the net - one at the correct end, the other an own goal, as Whitley Bay took a point away from their visit to Darlington Road. There was though a strong penalty claim denied for West as they looked to clinch all three points that would have given them even greater breathing distance from the bottom 3.
After their recent victory over West, Andrew Dugdale nearly gave Whitley Bay the perfect start with an early shot that was held. It was West though that took the lead in only the fourth minute - a back pass to keeper Terry Burke saw the Bay number 1 slice his clearance straight to Stuart Owen. He chipped the ball across the face of the goal where Dale Jardine came in at the back post to challenge and knock the ball in from a yard.
Three minutes later, Bay were on the rocks. After failing to clear, Bryan Stewart eventually picked up the ball beat 2 players and curled a shot round another, only being denied by a fingertip save to push the ball for a corner.
Jardine should have doubled the lead in the 10th minute as West dominated - the ball was played through for him to run clear but his shot only set the side netting rippling. A slick move minutes later saw an audacious effort from the outside of Danny Richmond's right boot although the angle was a little too tight and the ball floated over the keeper but wide.
A flighted shot by Christian Graham was lofted too high as the visitors looked for a way back into the game. Meanwhile a bad bounce caused Stuart Owen to miss kick and therefore pass by a good chance in the 22nd minute after Dale Jardine had won possession.
However despite West having the better of the play, Whitley Bay levelled in the 32nd minute when a back pass was too short, Paul Chow nipped in rounded Mark Bell and played the ball across the face of goal. There West defender Thomas Louden sliced his clearance into the back of the net to gift Bay an equaliser.
The lead could have been restored three minutes before the break when Paul Freary flicked the ball onto his strike partner, Jardine, who again had got in behind his marker, although the 13-goal forward was unable to keep his effort down from the edge of the area.
The second half proved to be a scrappy affair - early efforts from Dale Jardine and a Bay forward did not look like finding the next breakthrough. The moment of controversy came in the 57th minute when Bryan Stewart went on a charge forward and was brought down seemingly just inside the area. The referee appeared to point to the spot however then changed his mind and awarded a free kick. They tried to extract revenge from this - Brian Fairhurst's powerful drive was well tipped over by Terry Burke.
From the corner, Burke then dived to his right to clutch away Ian Maddison's goalbound header as West once again looked to take charge. Shortly afterwards Danny Richmond could not keep an effort down.
The visitors though began to get more of the ball and whilst neither side was creating openings, another goal would be a likely winner. Mark Bell had to be alert 10 minutes from the end to make a save before Paul Freary's header looped onto the top of the bar.
A dangerous free kick was thankfully put slightly over the bar by Lee Kerr in Bay's last main effort although they nearly put the ball into the net at the wrong end - a defender seeing the ball bounce just past the post to his relief. Bryan Stewart saw a late effort held as both sides had to settle for a point.
1. Mark Bell, 2. Thomas Louden, 3. Kevin Bromley, 4. Brian Fairhurst, 5. Michael Heckley, 6. Ian Maddison, 7. Bryan Stewart, 8. Danny Richmond (14. Neil Lowden 75 mins), 9. Dale Jardine, 10. Paul Freary, 11. Stuart Owen